DG will provide update on the corporation’s Across The UK plan

Tim Davie speaks to staff at BBC Cardiff 2

Tim Davie will headline this year’s Creative Cities Convention, which takes place as a virtual event on Thursday 22 April. Davie will discuss the corporation’s recently announced Across The UK plan and the impact he hopes it will have on audiences as well as the creative sector.

Other speakers include ITV head of digital channels Paul Mortimer, Channel 4 head of daytime and features Jo Street, Channel 5 deputy director of programmes Sebastian Cardwell and STV chief exec Simon Pitts.

Sutikki New Recruits Image

Children’s entertainment company and production team Sutikki has announced the appointment of three seasoned executives to its leadership team. Jo Redfern has been named global brand director, while Danielle Davies has been appointed global content strategy and partnerships director.

Meanwhile, Anthea Morrissey has been named the company’s new global creative and product development director, responsible for defining the creative and product development strategy across the globe for Sutikki’s IP.

Louise Benson

The Film and TV Charity has announced Louise Benson, former director & vice president of events at Cannes Lions, as its director of development.

Benson will oversee the fundraising, marketing and communications teams and initially work alongside Kate Wilson, the charity’s interim director of development.

Four Kings

Protagonist Pictures is launching international sales at virtual Mip TV this week (12-16 April) on premium boxing docu-series The Kings, from the producers of Senna and Maradona.

Producers James Gay-Rees (Amy, Senna), Paul Martin (Maradona) and Fiona Neilson (Supersonic and Coldplay: A Head Full Of Dreams) teamed up on the story of the fierce rivalry between ’The Four Kings’ – boxing legends Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto ‘Hands Of Stone’ Duran, Thomas ‘Hit Man’ Hearns, and the late ‘Marvelous’ Marvin Hagler.

How to Buy a Baby

Warner Bros. International Television Production (WBITVP) and Toronto based LoCo Motion Pictures have announced a deal that will see WBITVP acquire global (excluding Canada) distribution rights to How To Buy A Baby – the International Emmy-nominated CBC Digital original.

WBITVP Sweden are the first of WB’s operating companies to adapt the format – with season one of locally titled ‘Alla Utom Vi’ (translation: ‘Everyone Except Us’) having premiered on Sweden’s Discovery+ platform in February as a 10 x 22-minute series. A second season has been commissioned.

Vanessa-Brookman

Vanessa Brookman

WarnerMedia EMEA kids boss Vanessa Brookman has revealed her leadership team for Cartoon Network, Boomerang, Boing, Cartoonito and associated digital properties on third-party platforms, as well as the upcoming kids and family offering for HBO Max.

Sarah Fell will lead original production, Marc Goodchild digital content, Sean Henry content strategy and acquisitions, and Angharad Llewelyn compliance. Separately, Ana González and Sean Gorman take up local territory editorial roles.